So here's to you, Mrs R....

mrs_robinson_3

In which the library saves the day......

So, that £1.78. Well, it's not intact anymore, am afraid, though I'd like to think it had a higher debt-busting purpose. See, as DSs after school activities have started up with a vengeance, had 45 minutes to kill after work and before the first of 4 (FOUR) pick-ups. Didn't need to do a food shop, as did yesterday (LIDL, £31.70 for a fulsome hoard to at least take us to the w/e), had to post an ebay parcel (still waiting for the final payment to come in, but after postage and initial outlay on packaging, will be able to pay £37.21 off card no 1, Tesco, not massive but it was only smallish stuff as not really done proper clear out yet, pretty pleased with that actually ) and was itching to spend.......which, after w/e mini-splurge, couldn't.

So, spent pleasant half hour in the library. And was thrilled to find the following books:

Sheconomics - add power to your purse with the ultimate money makeover (2009, only the second borrower)

Love is not enough - the smart women's guide to money (ditto)

Detox your finances - the ultimate book of money matters for women (2009, first borrower)

Precycle - how to make everything you buy in the shops (2008, first borrower)

Oh, and the Naughty Girl's Guide to Life, beacuse Mrs R, whilst trying to be a right sober-sides with this debt-busting, is actually a naughty little minx at heart, so that's just to remind me not to lose true self in all this being good responsible adult-type.

Honestly, was delighted, as in old days would happily have spent good money on that little lot. Instead, hours of free fun, reading up on my new favourite subject. Clearly my library is up with the zeitgesit and investing in credit crunch friendly reading materials. Impressed, I was.

Only, not quite free. As had £1.20 fine to pay. Bah! Still, way I looked at it was, that £1.20 stopped me mooching in shops....and you know what can happen then.

Also, hot from the thrift trenches, getting laptop repaired, just a week within warranty (has nasty screen flicker), and husb. has been given £250 voucher through work, which he intends to spend on/towards another one. As with all 5 of us wanting to get online, it's hard to get my full dose of MSE! So hurrah for more computer power heading my way soon.

Also been doing amazing things with lentils

But that's another story......

Mrs R

PS: still got 58p in purse too

honeybear_2

Hi Mrs R :hello:

What a fantastic lot of finds in your library - well done & happy reading

You've also spurred me on to getting round to joining my local library, so thank you Hope I get as lucky as you

mrs_robinson_3

If you're lucky, and organised, you can search your library catalogue on-line before you go, and see if they've got them.
But don't reserve as they normally charge you 50p for that!

Also, in my library, if they don't have it, you can order it in from another branch (even throughout the county, not just the city I live in)

And if what you want's not stocked at all, you can even ask them to buy it. And they might. I got to borrow a cookery book, recently published - the one where you do a lot of meal planning, and use up your leftovers (actually, Mrs R rather took issue with that, as they weren't leftovers at all, but rather "cooked in advances for later use" instead, but you get the picture) ...mmmm, the name will come to me as soon as I post this, but just can't recall it now - anyway, that book, and I kept it for about six months, working my way through the recipes, and just renewing it, which you can if no-one else wants it.

And the library had bought that just for me, after my request! Well, perhaps not just for me, but it was a nice gesture. And a return on my enormous council tax.

Yes, the library is great for people like us. They don't even smell of wee anymore - well, not my one at least.

Mrs R

mrs_robinson_3

Yeah, I knew it.

The Kitchen Revolution.

Mrs R

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Hi Mrs R thoose books sound fab! I kept ging to join my libarary and always went on a wed closed day never got to it but will!:rolleyes:.

hypno06

mrs_robinson wrote: »

. They don't even smell of wee anymore -

Bonus :rotfl:

mrs_robinson_3

In which Mrs R feels the fear......

Feeling bad. Yes, poo day money-wise.

Wanted a NSD but had to put petrol in the R-mobile. Pay day looms Wednesday and wanted to just manage with one car over weekend, but needed my car today. Still, rather than put in a week's worth, put in just £8. Also pesterpower of DS 3 meant spent another 70p on sweets.

Also not NSD yesterday either as source of current financial discomfort is took out £40 from cashpoint yesterday. Only wanted to take £20 as was supposed to cut back this week due to personal spends last week (the jacket/trosers/tshirt combo, remember?) but was going out with friends. Bit cross as wanted to go to Pizza Express with voucher but they, who haven't seen the light of thrift burn brightly before them yet, vetoed.

Then knew it would be usual share-the-bill thing, which now am born-again, causes great angst. Considered saying "Look, trying to get through to Weds on limited budget, can we just pay for what we each have?" but too difficult - think they might think gone too far, becoming boring etc. So ended up paying £19 for meal could have taken-or-left, TBH, and felt a bit irritated with friends, too. What's to be done, eh? Stay home I suppose. Still, again on upside, instead of glass of wine in bar before meal, had soda and lime, 40p. Bargain.

Also out of the £40 had to pay for prescription - did try, MSE stylee, if there was suitable over counter thing to do job, but no go. And succumbed to a tin of new "blush" vaseline. Cheap at £1.49, but already have tin, missing in action. Bound to turn up now. Weak weak weak.

Spent £4 on small goodies for colleague's poorly nephew. Again cross with self as remembered unspent ITunes voucher on pinboard, but couldn't find car keys to drive home. Disorganised and pathetic me. Is his last radiotherapy this week (is a boy of 16 with two brain tumours) so won't be getting anything else for him until, fingers crossed, his MRI in 6 weeks reveals all gone. Then will get him something suitably celebratory, am hoping. Spare a prayer for him if you can, please, readers. Ooh, just got all teary, sorry.

Also £3 dinner money DS2.

So only had £5 of the £40 left this morning. Bugged as can't account for about a pound of the £40! On upside, found a fiver had put in drawer and forgotten, so doubled money!

Feel bad that have fallen off wagon, as often happens just before end of month.

Also bad timing as supposed to be having day sans enfants tomorrow, going to a market town, lunch out etc but OH and me both broke. Think will still go though - will cost us in diesel, but don't want actually to shop, just to mooch and enjoy time out together. On other hand, am thinking could just stay home and do that, free! But rarely get time with no DS commitments, so need to grasp opportunities when they come.

Still, transfererd £25 from Pyapl to my a/c, maybe that won't make it to Tesco but pays for the trousers and t-shirt last weekend, so not bad after all. And am getting £97 pay arrears which most def will go to Mr T, along with my increased monthly payment of £210. Still got one item to be paid for from ebay, so if that comes in, can go to Tesco.

Have set target of £100 sales on ebay between now and Xmas, as after this and next month's payments, will be roughly what I'm left with to pay off my Tesco card to clear before year end. So rounded up objects today and stashed ready for listing, under bed. Wanted to list today to get out of way, but couldn't find camera. Story of life. On upside, Sunday meant to be best day to list, no?

Also, beautiful sunny day, lots of chores done, house downstairs clean and tidy. And did a few surveys.

Sorry, bit of a downer today but have good w/e y'all

Mrs R

beanielou

You h ave a good weekend too

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Come on Mrs R, dont be so hard on yourself, you have changed your mindset and that is the most vital thing i think! You are now thinking where your money is going. It is difficult going out for dinner with friends, you never know some of them may have a LBM soon!
Chin up .;)

rupe34

Hey Mrs R - have just found your diary - love it. have subscribed.:T

btw - love my local library - its the shopping centre next to it that smells of wee:rotfl:!